This application corresponds and claims priority to European Application No. 98203081.9 filed Sep. 15, 1998, and European Application No. 98203221.1 filed Sep. 25, 1998. Both applications are incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth herein.
a. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a panel connector or splice for connecting longitudinal ends of elongate wall or ceiling panels in an end-to-end relationship. This invention also relates to a locking clip for increasing the fire and wind resistance of a wall or ceiling paneling assembly and to a method and tool for locking the last panel to be installed in the assembly, as well as for unlocking the first installed panel to be removed from the assembly.
b. Background Art
In the architectural industry, walls and ceilings have often been covered with arrays of prefabricated longitudinally-elongate panels. Such panels have commonly been of a constant, generally channel-shaped cross-section with a substantially flat central web portion and inturned lateral side flanges or rims. These elongate panels have usually been attached to carrier beams and have been conveniently obtained by quasi endlessly roll-forming sheet metal strip into the required channel shape cross-section.
Although such panels can, in theory, be produced in any length to fit a wall or ceiling, the necessary transportation from a manufacturing site to a building site limits the maximum length to about 5 or 6 meters. As a result, end-to-end connections have been required in wall and ceiling installations with dimensions exceeding such maximum transportable lengths of panels.
Several ways of connecting longitudinal ends of elongate panels in an end-to-end relationship have been known. One way, described in UK patent specification GB 982 775, has involved cutting panel ends so as to have mating contours with inter-engaging tongues. Although this construction has resulted in a satisfactory alignment of the visible panel surfaces, it has also required the use of elaborate and expensive cutting and shaping tools, in addition to the cutting tools for making conventional straight end cuts.
Another way, described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,645,051, has involved connecting longitudinal ends of adjacent panels with a separate sheet metal connector. The connector has had a cross-sectional configuration adapted to that of the panels but has been slightly smaller to permit its insertion into the longitudinal ends of adjacent panels, so as to connect them together. In this arrangement, the longitudinal panel ends have been cut straight and have not differed from regular end cuts at the edges of a wall or ceiling installation. With straight cut ends in abutting relationship, the longitudinal ends of adjacent panels should have been in the same plane, with no visible gap being left between the abutting cut edges. However because of difficulties in achieving such a fit between adjacent panels, it has not always been possible to have a flush and inconspicuous transition between the visible surfaces of adjacent panels. It has also generally been difficult to avoid having shadow lines and visible gaps in every end-to-end panel connection.
Also in the architectural industry, wall and ceiling panels have been provided with outwardly directed beads at the free edges of their inturned lateral side flanges. Each bead has been supported by the elongate body of one of a plurality of longitudinally-extending carrier beams. In this regard, the elongate body of each carrier beam has been provided with a plurality of support lugs, spaced along the length of its carrier beam. As described in Swiss patent publication CH 349 398 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,653, each support lug has had a stem portion, connecting the lug to the elongate body, and two support surfaces, spaced from the elongate body and extending in opposite longitudinal directions, so that the outwardly directed beads on the flanges of adjacent panels are received on two confronting support surfaces.
It has been easy to install the panels in such paneling systems. It also has been easy to remove the panels in order to gain access to the plenum behind or above the paneling systems. Yet, there has been a demand for a paneling system in which the panels are more securely locked in position and thereby more resistant to being accidentally removed, especially for outdoor installations, for installations in underground railway stations and particularly for installations where fire hazards require that the panels be prevented from falling down too readily during a fire. In this regard, known paneling systems have not always been sufficiently resistant to gusts of wind or maintained their structural integrity long enough during a fire.
It has been proposed in EP 0 137 591 (B1) to use additionally locking elements which are inserted through openings in a carrier body of a carrier beam and which have a tab that can be bent downwardly behind a panel bead engaged on a support surface of a support lug, to prevent the panel from being accidentally removed from the carrier beam. However with such locking elements, it has not been possible to lock the last installed panel in the paneling system, because when it has been time for the last panel to be installed, the locking element positioned in the plenum, has no longer been accessible. As a result, the last panel, to be installed, has had to be left unlocked and thus susceptible to being accidentally removed. Also with such locking elements, it has been cumbersome to intentionally remove panels for access behind or above the plenum because of the necessity to remove the panels in sequence starting from the last installed panel and working towards the panel covering the area where access has actually been needed. This has often required the removal of a substantial number of panels, including panels from areas where access to the plenum was not strictly required. It has also not been easy for persons, without knowledge of the original installation of such systems, to locate or recognize the last installed panel. Furthermore, such locking elements, which have to be bent back when installed, have become unsuitable for reuse and have required replacement after having been removed to gain access to the plenum.
In accordance with one aspect of this invention, a panel connector is provided which improves the appearance of the connection of adjacent longitudinal ends of a pair of longitudinally-extending elongate panels, such as wall or ceiling panels, in an end-to-end relationship, where each panel has a pair of upstanding inturned flanges on opposite lateral sides of a central web portion; the panel connector of the invention comprises:
a base member with a first central body having, on laterally opposite sides, a first pair of marginal edges adapted to be engaged between the opposite inturned flanges of each of the elongate panels when the first central body overlies the central web portion of each panel; and
a hold down member with a second central body having, on laterally opposite sides, a second pair of marginal edges adapted to be engaged between the opposite inturned flanges of each of the elongate panels when the second central body overlies the first central body;
wherein the base member and the hold down member are movable relative to one another.
Another embodiment of the panel connector of this invention comprises:
the base member; and
the hold down member;
wherein the second pair of opposite marginal edges are connected to laterally opposite sides of the second central body of the hold down member by a pair of resilient side portions biasing the second pair of opposite marginal edges away from the first pair of opposite marginal edges; and
wherein the second pair of opposite marginal edges are spaced away from the first pair of opposite marginal edges.
Advantageously, the base member and the hold down member are movable only laterally with respect to one another. Also, the second pair of opposite marginal edges of the hold down member are advantageously adapted to cooperate with the opposite inturned flanges of each of the elongate panels to laterally and vertically center the hold down member on the elongate panel and on the base member, between them, particularly when the opposite inturned flanges have a generally U-shaped cross-section with generally inwardly-directed free end portions, confronting one another. Moreover, the first pair of opposite marginal edges of the base member are adapted to laterally center the base member between the opposite inturned flanges of the pair of elongate panels.
In accordance with another aspect of this invention, a wall or ceiling paneling assembly is provided, comprising:
a plurality of elongate panels, each having a pair of inturned side flanges extending in the same generally perpendicular direction
relative to a main panel surface; each flange having an outwardly directed bead at its free edge; and
at least two elongate carrier beams, each having an elongate body with a longitudinal axis; the longitudinal axes of the carrier beams being in parallel spaced relationship; the elongate body of each carrier beam being provided with a plurality of support lugs spaced along the length of the carrier beam; each support lug of the elongate body of each carrier beam having a stem portion connecting it to the elongate body and two support surfaces spaced from the elongate body and extending in opposite directions along the longitudinal axis of the carrier beam; and each support lug receiving outwardly directed beads of adjacent panels on confronting support surfaces; and
at least one locking clip movably connected to the elongate body of each carrier beam for movement between: i) an inactive position, in which the outwardly directed beads of adjacent panels can be engaged by, and disengaged from, the confronting support lug of the elongate body of the carrier beam, and ii) an active position, in which the outwardly directed beads of adjacent panels are prevented from being disengaged from the confronting support lug of the elongate body of the carrier beam.
This paneling assembly does not have the inconveniences of prior paneling assemblies in that its locking clip can be moved between inactive and active positions without bending it. In addition, the locking clip can be hidden but nevertheless reached and activated or deactivated through the closed surface of the completely installed paneling assembly.
Also provided is a locking clip for use in this paneling assembly, comprising: a main body; a pair of arms on opposite sides of the main body and extending generally in the plane of the main body away from its opposite sides; a pair of legs on opposite sides of the bottom of the main body and extending generally downwardly in the plane of the main body; a frontally-extending tab located vertically and horizontally between the arms and legs; and a frontally-extending finger grip on top of the main body. Advantageously, a laterally-extending knee portion is provided at about the middle of the length of each leg. It is particularly advantageous that the arms each have a rear arm portion, an inwardly- and frontally-extending front arm portion and a frontally-extending hand portion. It is quite particularly advantageous that each front arm portion have a downwardly depending tongue.
Further provided are a method and tool which allow any one of the panels in the completely installed paneling assembly to be locked with the locking clip, so that they cannot be accidentally removed or unlocked.
Further aspects of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description below of particular embodiments and the drawings thereof.